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cnbc.com
Zuckerberg testimony: Upping engagement on Instagram was not a company goal
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a closely watched social media and safety trial that could reshape the industry.
theguardian.com
Zuckerberg grilled in landmark social media trial over teen mental health
Meta chief says it improved identifying underage users but adds ‘I always wish we could have gotten there sooner’The Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, testified at a landmark trial of social media companies on Wednesday. Plaintiffs’ lawyers grilled Zuckerberg about internal complaints that not enough was being done to verify whether children under 13 were using the platform.Zuckerberg claimed Meta had improved in identifying underage users but also said: “I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Zuckerberg defends Meta in landmark social media addiction trial
The billionaire chief executive faces is questioned over whether use of Instagram harms children.
theguardian.com
‘Grace period’ needed for dual nationals returning to UK on second passport, say Lib Dems
Will Forster MP says ‘lack of planning and haphazard communication’ on new border rules has caused chaosA “grace period” should be introduced for British dual nationals living, working or holidaying abroad who face being blocked from returning to the UK if they do not have an up-to-date British passport, the Liberal Democrats have said.Entry requirements change on 25 February as part of a wider initiative to streamline immigration which requires British dual nationals to present either a valid UK passport or a “certificate of entitlement” on their foreign passport to the airline, ferry or train operator. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Treasury yields rise as Fed minutes show disagreement on next rate cut
Investors weighed the Fed meeting minutes and awaited more economic data.
cnbc.com
Fed officials split on where interest rates should go, minutes say
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released minutes from its Jan. 27-28 meeting.
cnbc.com
Anthropic is clashing with the Pentagon over AI use. Here's what each side wants
Anthropic landed a $200 million Defense contract last year, as did AI rivals OpenAI, Google and xAI.
cnbc.com
Trump Jr. calls banking a 'Ponzi scheme' that forced family to create crypto business
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are hosting the World Liberty Forum at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, which is owned by their father, President Donald Trump.
theguardian.com
Plug-in hybrids use three times more fuel than manufacturers claim, analysis finds
While most hybrids are said to use one to two litres of fuel per 100km, a study claims they need six litres on averagePlug-in hybrid electric cars (PHEVs) use much more fuel on the road than officially stated by their manufacturers, a large-scale analysis of about a million vehicles of this type has shown.The Fraunhofer Institute carried out what is thought to be the most comprehensive study of its kind to date, using the data transmitted wirelessly by PHEVs from a variety of manufacturers while they were on the road. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
FDA agrees to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine application in a reversal
The FDA is slated to make a decision on the flu shot on Aug. 5, which will allow Moderna to make the vaccine available for the upcoming influenza season.
theguardian.com
Countries that do not embrace AI could be left behind, says OpenAI’s George Osborne
Without AI you will be a ‘weaker and poorer nation’, says former UK chancellor two months into job at US firmThe former chancellor George Osborne has said countries that do not embrace the kind of powerful AI systems made by his new employer, OpenAI, risk “Fomo” and could be left weaker and poorer.Osborne, who is two months into a job as head of the $500bn San Francisco AI company’s “for countries” programme, told leaders gathered for the AI Impact summit in Delhi: “Don’t be left behind.” He said that without AI rollouts they could end up with a workforce “less willing to stay put” because they might want to seek AI-enabled fortunes elsewhere. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
'Crap': Stephen Colbert blasts CBS for denying it blocked James Talarico interview from air
"Late Show" host Stephen Colbert has said CBS feared running afoul of the FCC if it broadcast a talk with the U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico.
cnbc.com
Oil jumps 4% after Vance says Iran ignored key U.S. demands, military strikes on the table
Oil traders are worried that war between the U.S. and Iran could lead to a major disruption of crude supplies in the Middle East.
cnbc.com
Palo Alto shares sink 7%, CEO defends cybersecurity's position as AI hits software stocks
Palo Alto has bet big on AI in recent months and launched an aggressive acquisition spree that included buying CyberArk for $25 billion.
theguardian.com
Billionaire Les Wexner to testify before Congress about ties to Epstein
Wexner, who has denied misconduct related to Epstein, is one of several subpoenaed by House oversight panelThe former boss of the Victoria’s Secret lingerie brand, Les Wexner, has provided a statement to Congress saying “I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide,” as he testifies on Wednesday before a congressional committee in relation to his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein.Wexner is one of several Epstein associates subpoenaed to testify before the House oversight committee in their continued investigation of the late financier’s crimes. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Bayer falls 7% after proposing $7.25 billion settlement in Roundup case; European markets end higher
European stocks finished higher on Wednesday as investors monitor global market developments.
cnbc.com
Microsoft’s Brad Smith says U.S. tech should ‘worry a little’ about Chinese firms' government subsidies
The Microsoft president said American firms will have to compete with subsidies provided by Beijing to Chinese companies.
bbc.com
Plan to increase youth minimum wage could be delayed
Government sources tell BBC News they could slow down plans to make minimum wage equal across age groups.
theguardian.com
‘By the end of the day we’re just knackered’: business booms for UK’s south Asian jewellers as gold prices soar
Economic uncertainty drives customers to snap up 22-carat gold bars and coins or sell off unworn jewellery“With everything that’s going on in the economy and Donald Trump banging his chest against the world, we’re finding there’s no trust in the banks because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sandeep Kanda says.Kanda is the owner of Sunny Jewellers, situated along a stretch of Leicester known as the Golden Mile, and is a beneficiary of consumers seeking alternative investments amid the uncertainty. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Britons living in EU face repayment hikes amid Reeves student loans row
Exclusive: UK graduates in Germany, Belgium and possibly other countries informed of rises as salary threshold is cutBritons living in some European countries face a huge rise in their student loan repayments later this year, the Guardian can reveal, in a move that threatens to trigger a fresh backlash for Rachel Reeves.UK graduates working in Germany and Belgium – and possibly other countries – have been told that their monthly repayments will increase from April, the Guardian can reveal. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Nvidia is partnering with major Indian VC firms in search for the country's next AI start-ups
Nvidia is expanding its partnerships in India, including with venture capital firms, as it bets on the country's AI ecosystem that has drawn massive Big Tech investments.
cnbc.com
Ford to follow Tesla Cybertruck with electrical tech in new EV pickup
Ford's next generation of all-electric vehicles will feature a budding technology commercialized by Tesla in the U.S. on its Cybertruck.
theguardian.com
Jim Ratcliffe’s shameless comments signal soccer’s turn toward total Trumpism | Leander Schaerlaeckens
What made the Manchester United co-owner’s anti-immigrant screed so revolting was his brazen willingness to say it all out loud. Remind you of anyone?Did British petrochemicals billionaire and Manchester United’s controlling minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, really mean it when he proclaimed to Sky News that “the UK is being colonized by immigrants”?Is Ratcliffe simply a gutter racist or actually making a cynical political play that may redound to his benefit down the line when Britain faces down yet another period of political upheaval as the country’s old factions continue to fracture? There’s reasonable debate to be had there. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump has done more than harm the government’s ability to fight global heating | Jamil Smith
By repealing the EPA’s determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health, the president is denying reality itselfThe climate crisis is killing people. These deaths are measurable, documented and ongoing. Concluding otherwise is just playing pretend. Studies explain the mechanics, but lived experience supplies the truth. The people who suffer the consequences see the fire rising and water closing in. They need their government’s help.Despite that, the president of the United States stood at a microphone last Thursday and abdicated his duty to them. “It has nothing to do with public health,” he claimed about the climate crisis while announcing that the federal government would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency’s “endangerment finding”, a determination that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare. “This is all a scam, a giant scam.”Jamil Smith is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Arm shares edge higher as Nvidia sells entire stake in company
SEC filings showed Nvidia has exited its position in the British chip designer, which it once tried to buy for $40 billion.
theguardian.com
Household energy bills in Great Britain forecast to fall by £117 a year
Consultancy’s prediction comes after Rachel Reeves said green subsidy costs would be removed from domestic billsHousehold energy costs in Great Britain are expected to tumble by an average of £117 a year from April after Rachel Reeves announced in November’s budget that the cost of green subsidies would be removed from domestic bills.The government’s quarterly cap on energy bills is forecast to fall after the chancellor’s decision to shift the levies used to support renewable energy projects into general taxation, and scrap a bill payer-funded energy efficiency scheme, according to Cornwall Insight, a leading energy consultancy. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Defence giant BAE hails record sales as workers remain on strike
Defence company BAE has increased payouts to investors after its sales increased but staff in Lancashire have walked out over stalled pay talks
cnbc.com
'Dismal' China exports add to freight trade slump for nation's biggest port
Port of Los Angeles, the nation's biggest trade hub, has seen a decline in import and export container volume during what is usually a busy shipping time.
theguardian.com
Romania in safety drive to improve EU’s deadliest roads
Government takes its first serious steps to crack down on dangerous driving but progress is slowEurope live – latest updatesThe first time Lucian Mîndruță crashed his car, he swerved to avoid a village dog and hit another vehicle. The second time, he missed a right-of-way sign and was struck by a car at a junction. The third time, ice sent him skidding off the road and into two trees. Crashes four to eight, he said, were bumper-scratches in traffic too minor to mention.That Mîndruță escaped those collisions with his life – and without having taken anyone else’s – is not a given in Romania. Home to the deadliest roads in the EU, its poor infrastructure, weak law enforcement and aggressive driving culture led to 78 people per million dying in traffic in 2024. Almost half of the 1,500 annual fatalities are vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
The 'boomcession': Why Americans feel left behind by a growing economy
A combination of the words "boom" and "recession" can help explain why Americans feel so sour about a growing economy.
bbc.com
'Check your payslip' warns nurse who overpaid nearly £3k in tax
Gemma Belby says she only found she was paying "double tax" after chatting with her colleagues.
cnbc.com
Trump lauds Japan’s pledge to invest $36 billion in U.S. oil, gas and critical mineral projects
The commitment represents the first tranche of investments by Japan following a landmark trade deal between the two countries.
theguardian.com
The bogus four-day workweek that AI supposedly ‘frees up’
Business leaders tout AI as a path to shorter weeks and better balance. But without power, workers are unlikely to share the gainsThe front-page headline in a recent Washington Post was breathless: “These companies say AI is key to their four-day workweeks.” The subhead was euphoric: “Some companies are giving workers back more time as artificial intelligence takes over more tasks.”As the Post explained: “more companies may move toward a shortened workweek, several executives and researchers predict, as workers, especially those in younger generations, continue to push for better work-life balance.”Robert Reich, a former US secretary of labor, is a professor of public policy emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a Guardian US columnist and his newsletter is at robertreich.substack.com. His new book, Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, is out now Continue reading...
theguardian.com
US sanctions, power cuts, climate crisis: why Cuba is betting on renewables
With Trump blocking Venezuelan oil imports and old power plants breaking down, the island – with Chinese help – is turning to solar and wind to bolster its fragile energy systemIntense heat hangs over the sugarcane fields near Cuba’s eastern coast. In the village of Herradura, a blond-maned horse rests under a palm tree after spending all Saturday in the fields with its owner, Roberto, who cultivates maize and beans.Roberto was among those worst affected by Hurricane Melissa, which hit eastern Cuba – the country’s poorest region – late last year. The storm affected 3.5 million people, damaging or destroying 90,000 homes and 100,000 hectares of crops. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
‘A matter of national survival’: European governments on how they're accelerating digital sovereignty as geopolitical tensions ramp up
The region's reliance on U.S. systems has come under scrutiny as its relationship with the Donald Trump administration has become strained.
theguardian.com
Ministers may slow youth minimum wage rise amid UK unemployment fears
Government considering delay to equalising national minimum wage after jump in youth unemploymentMinisters are considering a slower rise in the minimum wage for younger workers, amid fears over rising youth unemployment.Labour had promised in its manifesto to equalise national minimum wage rates by the time of the next election, saying it was unfair younger workers were paid less. Government sources said equalisation remained the aim but the rise could come more slowly. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Are UK interest rates expected to fall soon?
The interest rate set by the Bank of England affects mortgage, loan and savings rates for millions.
theguardian.com
‘Like an electrical gong bath!’ The Sheffield supermarket going viral for the symphonic sound of its freezers
Redditors are thrilled by the Co-op on Ecclesall Road, where a magnificent drone is reminiscent of Brian Eno’s ambient music. We take a visit to the back aislesThere’s a new sound gripping Sheffield. You won’t find it at one of the city’s eclectic jazz nights; nor in any of its clubs or live music venues. You’ll find it in the back aisle of a Co-op supermarket on Ecclesall Road.“Anyone noticed how nice the freezers sound in the eccy road co-op?” someone wrote on the Sheffield Reddit page in January. “It’s like all the fans have been carefully tuned to the calmest droning chord ever, it’s like being in an electrical gong bath.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Reform plans to keep UK's budget watchdog
Robert Jenrick promises to reform the OBR, rather than abolish it, in a move to reassure financial markets.
bbc.com
Why are UK prices still rising?
UK Inflation has dropped back from record highs but remains above the Bank of England's 2% target.
cnbc.com
Britain’s BAE Systems sets sights on defense spending boom amid record order backlog
Shares in the UK defense giant rose on Wednesday after it reported strong full-year earnings.
theguardian.com
Boss of BAE Systems urges ministers to publish delayed military spending plan
CEO of UK’s biggest defence company says delay is holding back industry investment as BAE posts record salesThe boss of Britain’s biggest defence company has urged ministers to publish a long-delayed blueprint for military spending as soon as possible, as it posted record sales driven by a global increase in demand after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Charles Woodburn, the chief executive of BAE Systems, said companies want clarity on how the money would be spent, adding that the defence investment plan (DIP) – due in late 2025 – was holding back investment. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The brutal hunt for low-paid work: ‘It’s like The Hunger Games – but for a job folding clothes’
It used to be fairly easy to get work that paid at or around the minimum wage. But with a shrinking number of positions come ever more hoops to jump through, from personality tests, to trial shifts, to towers constructed of marshmallowsIt is 10.30am, and Zahra is sitting in a business centre in Preston, attaching marshmallows to sticks of uncooked spaghetti. There are 30 interview candidates in the grey-carpeted room, split into groups of five, competing to build food towers. Already today they have had to solve anagrams, complete quizzes and rank the importance of various kitchen items. Just to be shortlisted for this two-hour interview round, Zahra had to write an online application consisting of 10 paragraphs about her work experience. As she builds her spaghetti and marshmallow tower, she thinks: “What am I actually doing here? This doesn’t relate to the job at all.”The job in question is not what Zahra, 20, plans to do for ever. It is as a crew member for Wingstop, a chicken shop chain, with a salary of £10.80 an hour – 80p an hour above minimum wage for her age range. During the interview, she says, “a woman with a notepad was staring at us, and all the shift managers were watching. It was so awkward.” A week or so later, Zahra received a short rejection email. “It felt like a waste of time,” she says. “What a joke.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Lower fuel prices and airfares help drive inflation down
The rate at which prices are rising is slowing down, which could lead to lower interest rates.
theguardian.com
Miner Glencore to give $2bn to shareholders despite profit slump
FTSE 100 company reports 6% fall in annual profits weeks after collapse of $260bn merger with Rio TintoGlencore is to give $2bn (£1.47bn) to shareholders after a turbulent year in which profits slumped and talks collapsed over a blockbuster $260bn merger with the fellow mining company Rio Tinto.The FTSE 100 company announced the payout on Wednesday despite reporting that annual profits slipped 6% on the previous year to $13.5bn. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
More than 50% of enterprise software could switch to AI, Mistral CEO says
Software stocks have sold off on fears AI could eat into so-called software as a service, or SaaS, business models.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Iran-U.S. talks and Ukraine-Russia negotiations in focus — progress in sight?
Geopolitics will be the main theme of the day, with markets watching the high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran, as well as Ukraine and Russia.
cnbc.com
UK inflation cools markedly in January, boosting odds of Bank of England rate cut
The U.K. inflation rate cooled to 3% in January, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
theguardian.com
UK inflation falls to 3%, boosting hopes of early cut in interest rates
January annual drop is lowest level since March 2025, although still above Bank of England’s 2% targetBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation tumbled to 3% in January, giving a boost to hopes of an early cut in interest rates by the Bank of England.The slowdown was in line with a majority of City economists’ forecasts and marks the lowest level since March 2025. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
TfL Facebook ad banned for negative stereotype about black men
Ad was part of campaign to encourage Londoners to intervene if they witness sexual harassment or hate crimeA Transport for London (TfL) ad featuring a black teenage boy verbally harassing a white girl has been banned for “perpetuating the negative racial stereotype about black men as perpetrators of threatening behaviour”.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the “irresponsible” ad – which was the subject of a complaint – featured a “harmful stereotype”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Rise in tax-free pay allowance 'totally positive'
The Local Economy Forum welcomes a £2,250 rise in the personal allowance on the Isle of Man.
cnbc.com
CNBC's UK Exchange newsletter: The billion-dollar takeover of one of London's oldest asset managers won't be forgotten
The loss of one of the Square Mile's bastions of banking marks the start of a new era for the City.
bbc.com
I invested £12,000 in Brewdog - I think I've lost it all
More than 200,000 people bought Equity for Punks shares in the craft brewer but many now believe they are worthless.
theguardian.com
US and Japan unveil $36bn of oil, gas and critical minerals projects in challenge to China
Donald Trump says deals ‘end our foolish dependence on foreign sources’, while Japanese PM hails enhanced economic securityJapan has drawn up plans for investments in US oil, gas and critical mineral projects worth about $36bn under the first wave of a deal with Donald Trump.The US president and Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, announced a trio of projects including a power plant in Portsmouth, Ohio, billed by the Trump administration as the largest natural gas-fired generating facility in US history. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Germany’s long-awaited fiscal stimulus is finally here — but there’s a defense spending catch, says Goldman Sachs
Germany's defense spending is set to surge this year, but the country may not execute on its "ambitious" budget target, Goldman's analyst said.
bbc.com
School's 'cost of living cupboard' helps families
Parents can collect dried food, clothes and household goods donated by supermarkets.
theguardian.com
China’s dancing robots: how worried should we be?
Eye-catching martial arts performance at China gala had viewers and experts wondering what else humanoids can doDancing humanoid robots took centre stage on Monday during the annual China Media Group’s Spring Festival Gala, China’s most-watched official television broadcast. They lunged and backflipped (landing on their knees), they spun around and jumped. Not one fell over.The display was impressive, but prompted some to wonder: if robots can now dance and perform martial arts, what else can they do? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Should we be impressed or worried by China's humanoid robot display? – video
China Media Group's 2026 Spring Festival Gala drew widespread attention with a performance of humanoid robots that appeared to do martial arts alongside young performers. However, as the videos spread, viewers expressed both admiration and unease over the accelerating development of the machines. Experts have mixed views. China’s dancing robots: how worried should we be? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
From the archive: ‘Who remembers proper binmen?’ The nostalgia memes that help explain Britain today – podcast
We are raiding the Guardian long read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors.This week, from 2022: Idealising the past is nothing new, but there is something peculiarly revealing about the way a certain generation of Facebook users look back fondly on tougher timesBy Dan Hancox. Read by Dermot Daly Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CNBC's The China Connection newsletter: Businesses scramble to reach China's growing experiences economy
From a new theme park to business partnerships, companies are trying new ways to reach China's consumer ahead of the Lunar New Year.
cnbc.com
Japan exports growth surges to over 3-year high, up nearly 17% in January, as shipments to China soar
Value of exports to China, Japan's largest trading partner, jumped 32%, after rising 5.6% in December.
bbc.com
'I do not trust them' - top streamers left concerned by Discord age checks
The platform's plan to roll out global age checks has caused concern in streaming communities.
bbc.com
Illegal skin lightening cream being sold in UK butchers, watchdog warns
A trade body has warned illegal skin bleaching products are being sold in an increasingly wide range of places.
theguardian.com
Bayer agrees to pay $7.25bn to settle Roundup weedkiller cancer lawsuits
Thousands of lawsuits accuse the agrochemical maker of failing to warn people that its weedkiller could cause cancerThe agrochemical maker Bayer and attorneys for cancer patients announced a proposed $7.25bn settlement on Tuesday to resolve thousands of US lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn people that its popular weedkiller Roundup could cause cancer.The proposed settlement comes as the US supreme court is preparing to hear arguments on Bayer’s assertion that the Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of Roundup without a cancer warning should invalidate claims filed in state courts. That case would not be affected by the proposed settlement. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Boost to British Steel as Turkey places high-speed rail order
‘Eight-figure agreement’ made to supply new line between Ankara and İzmir – but questions over plant’s future remainBritish Steel has secured an order worth tens of millions of pounds to supply rail for a high-speed electric railway in Turkey, amid continuing uncertainty over the long-term future of the government-controlled steelworks in Scunthorpe.The site will supply 36,000 tonnes of rail to ERG International Group, the company announced, in what it called an “eight-figure agreement”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Meta expands Nvidia deal to use millions of AI chips in data center build-out, including standalone CPUs
Meta expands partnership with Nvidia in a deal likely worth tens of billions, for deploying millions of GPUs and new standalone CPUs in AI data centers
bbc.com
Dual nationals face scramble for UK passports as new rules come into force
Entry requirements to the UK for dual nationals are being overhauled as part of sweeping changes to the immigration system.
cnbc.com
Amazon snaps 9-day losing streak during which it lost more than $450 billion in value
Amazon expects to spend $200 billion this year on AI initiatives, the company said when it reported earnings.
bbc.com
Bayer offers $7.25bn to settle weedkiller cancer claims
The company has faced years of legal battles over Roundup, a weedkiller made by Monsanto.
bbc.com
Why youth unemployment is rising
Unemployment in the UK rose to its highest rate in nearly five years at the end of 2025
theguardian.com
‘It’s soul-crushing’: young people battle to find any work in bleak jobs market
Chair of UK government review says dramatic changes in labour market risks putting ‘a generation on the scrapheap’ On any given day, Poppy Blackman is engaged in the “soul-crushing” process of applying for a new job, and rarely ever hearing anything back.The 22-year-old has been unemployed since January 2025 and says she applies to an average of 50 roles a month, using one of four different CVs she has written for different types of jobs and sectors. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Shein under EU investigation over childlike sex dolls
Europe is examining whether the fast fashion giant breached the Digital Services Act.
theguardian.com
Abandon shipment: how an Amazon van got marooned on the UK’s ‘most dangerous path’
Driver reportedly checked with base and was told to continue when GPS directed van on to Essex mudflatsPeople thought they were looking at an AI image: an Amazon delivery van half-submerged at the mouth of the Thames estuary where it meets the North Sea. “I thought someone had just knocked up a photograph,” says local guide Kevin Brown about first seeing it online.It turned out the image was genuine, and it proliferated. There was something delightfully primordial about it – such a dominant sight of modern street life, just out there on the mud, vulnerable and surrounded by nothingness. Banter followed, images of an Amazon package floating in sea water: Amazon has made your delivery. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Health support needed to tackle joblessness | Letter
Health-centred approaches that help individuals stay in or return to work are needed, says Nick PahlThe alarming rise in economic inactivity highlighted in your report (UK sleepwalking into joblessness epidemic, Tesco boss warns, 10 February) underlines a public health issue as much as an economic one. It is increasingly clear that millions of working-age people are drifting out of the labour market not through choice but because of long-term health problems and inadequate support systems around them.Tackling worklessness requires proactive, health-centred approaches that help individuals stay in or return to work. We also know that time out of work is corrosive. Good-quality work improves physical and mental wellbeing, providing income, social connection and purpose, and protects against social exclusion. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'The search is soul-destroying': Young jobseekers on the struggle to find work
People aged between 16 and 24 are bearing the brunt of a weak employment market, figures show.
bbc.com
UK unemployment hits highest rate for nearly five years
It marks the highest rate since the Covid pandemic, official figures show.
bbc.com
Ex-Carillion boss fined for 'reckless' actions
Ex-chief executive Richard Howson acted "recklessly" and misled others, a watchdog says.
cnbc.com
Iran partially closes Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil choke point, as Tehran holds talks with U.S.
Iranian state media reported the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday for military drills in the waterway.
bbc.com
Netflix and Paramount are battling for Warner Bros. Who is likely to win?
What to know about the two firms' blockbuster battle to control Warner Bros Discovery.
theguardian.com
AI’s workplace revolution is here – and anxiety is rising with it
A new Guardian series explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping jobs, expectations and worker power across industriesHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, The Guardian’s US tech editor, writing to you while cheering on Team USA in the Winter Olympics.Epstein engineered intimate relationship for Tesla’s Kimbal Musk, emails showElon Musk posted about race almost every day in JanuaryMusk changes course on Mars quest and shoots for moon – again‘A different set of rules’: thermal drone footage shows Musk’s AI power plant flouting clean air regulationsElon Musk’s xAI faces second lawsuit over toxic pollutants from datacenterShares in trucking and logistics firms plunge after AI freight tool launchRussia attempted to ‘fully block’ WhatsApp, Meta-owned company saysInstagram CEO dismisses idea of social media addiction in landmark trialSalesforce workers outraged after CEO makes joke about ICE watching themCalifornia’s billionaires pour cash into elections as big tech seeks new alliesThe problem with doorbell cams: Nancy Guthrie case and Ring Super Bowl ad reawaken surveillance fears‘It’s over for us’: release of new AI video generator Seedance 2.0 spooks Hollywood Continue reading...
theguardian.com
12-hour days, no weekends: the anxiety driving AI’s brutal work culture is a warning for all of us
San Francisco’s AI startups are pushing workers to grind endlessly, hinting at pressures soon hitting other sectorsNot long after the terms “996” and “grindcore” entered the popular lexicon, people started telling me stories about what was happening at startups in San Francisco, ground zero for the artificial intelligence economy. There was the one about the founder who hadn’t taken a weekend off in more than six months. The woman who joked that she’d given up her social life to work at a prestigious AI company. Or the employees who had started taking their shoes off in the office because, well, if you were going to be there for at least 12 hours a day, six days a week, wouldn’t you rather be wearing slippers?“If you go to a cafe on a Sunday, everyone is working,” says Sanju Lokuhitige, the co-founder of Mythril, a pre-seed-stage AI startup, who moved to San Francisco in November to be closer to the action. Lokuhitige says he works seven days a week, 12 hours a day, minus a few carefully selected social events each week where he can network with other people at startups. “Sometimes I’m coding the whole day,” he says. “I do not have work-life balance.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
David Squires on … Jim Ratcliffe’s comments and his need for some home truths
Our cartoonist reflects on the Manchester United co-owner’s recent statements and electioneering, via the prism of Cracker’s DCI BilboroughBuy this cartoon | David’s favourite works of 2025And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...
bbc.com
Could Bill Gates and political tussles overshadow AI safety debate in Delhi?
As global tech leaders meet Delhi, India hopes to level the playing field for countries outside the US and China.
theguardian.com
‘I feel like I’m in a financial prison’: Trump Wall Street plan puts ‘mom and pop’ investors at risk
Trump says everyday Americans deserve a chance to buy higher-risk ‘alternative’ investments. Critics say this could lead to big losses for small investorsOn a summer day in 2018, Cathy Shubert, then 58, hopped in her Toyota Rav 4 and drove to the Jacksonville, Florida, office of Mario Payne, an investment adviser at the financial services firm Raymond James. She had a lot on her mind. She was not happy with her job at a local bank branch and wanted to see if Payne thought she had saved enough to retire.“He said what I was retiring with would carry me and everything would be wonderful,” she remembered. “I went home and told my husband, ‘Oh my God, I want you to go meet him.’” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Gloom for UK workers as incomes flatline and jobs market falters
Falls in inflation and interest rates could leave Britain better off this year, but at the cost of high unemploymentUK unemployment rate hits five-year highPrivate sector pay increased on average by just 3.4% in December, according to the latest official labour market data released on Tuesday, the same as the rise in inflation at the end of last year.No wonder the vast majority of workers are feeling the winter blues. Their incomes, adjusted for rising shop prices, have flatlined, leaving them no better off than they were a year earlier. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Royal Mail given two weeks to respond to claims it is prioritising parcels
MPs have raised "significant concerns" about reports of "failures in service" at the company.
bbc.com
Calculator: How will freeze on tax thresholds hit your take-home pay?
Wages have been rising faster than prices but you could pay more tax because of frozen thresholds.
theguardian.com
Openreach said yes to full fibre broadband, then branded it ‘uneconomical’
Its ‘fibre checker’ tool confirmed I could have a connection, but a month later it changed its mindMy internet provider informed me by email that full fibre broadband had become available for my property, confirmed by Openreach’s “fibre checker” tool. After a month, Openreach declared the connection uneconomical due to blockages in the conduits below the road. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Europeans are dangerously reliant on US tech. Now is a good time to build our own | Johnny Ryan
By trusting the US, we handed Trump a kill switch. Yet Europe’s digital sovereignty is an achievable goalThe French judge Nicolas Guillou knows exactly how deep Europe’s dependence on US tech is. Guillou and his colleagues at the international criminal court are under US sanctions. They can no longer use e-commerce, book hotels online or hire a car. Their home smart devices ignore them. Credit cards from European banks no longer function, because Europe has still not developed its own EU-wide payments system, so most electronic purchases go through Visa and Mastercard. Converting euros to foreign currencies is extraordinarily difficult because everything passes through dollars. Living in Europe is no protection against Donald Trump bricking your digital life.This dependence is not limited to mod-cons. Last year, the chairman of the Danish parliament’s defence committee said that he regretted his part in Denmark’s decision to buy US-made F-35 fighter jets: “I can easily imagine a situation where the USA will demand Greenland from Denmark and will threaten to deactivate our weapons and let Russia attack us when we refuse. Buying American weapons is a security risk that we can not run.” He is not alone. Spain has abandoned plans to buy F-35s.Johnny Ryan is director of Enforce, a unit of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties Continue reading...
bbc.com
Hyatt Hotels chairman steps down over Jeffrey Epstein ties
Billionaire Thomas Pritzker said he had exercised "terrible judgement" in keeping contact with Epstein.
bbc.com
Reddit's human content wins amid the AI flood
Reddit says its human contributors are valued amid an internet awash with AI-generated content.
bbc.com
Six of Sarah Ferguson's companies winding down
The move follows further revelations over her friendship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
cnbc.com
Here’s how much athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics get for winning medals
For athletes at the ongoing 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, a podium finish can come with six-figure checks.
bbc.com
Royal Mail letters sit undelivered 'for weeks' as parcels prioritised, staff say
Staff and customers tell the BBC prioritising parcels can mean missed NHS appointments and late payment fines.
bbc.com
Lloyds boss accepts concern over use of staff data in pay talks
The bank was criticised for comparing employees' spending habits to the wider public as part of wage negotiations.
bbc.com
Brewdog staff 'upset and concerned' by sale plans
Unite said workers had been left in the dark over their futures after the craft beer firm announced plans to explore new investment.
bbc.com
ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat
Videos featuring Spider-Man and other characters which are Disney's intellectual property have gone viral since Seedance's update.
bbc.com
Trump eyes Venezuela visit – but obstacles to his oil plan remain
The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.
theguardian.com
Why did I get a £100 parking fine when charging my electric car?
The charger firm claimed the site operated 24 hours a day, but the parking operator had different ideasI charged my electric car at the 24-hour Mer EV charging station in my local B&Q car park.I then received a £100 parking charge notice (PCN) from the car park operator, Ocean Parking. It said no parking is allowed on the site between 9pm and 6am. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What technology takes from us – and how to take it back – podcast
Decisions outsourced, chatbots for friends, the natural world an afterthought: Silicon Valley is giving us life void of connection. There is a way out – but it’s going to take collective effortBy Rebecca Solnit. Read by Laurel Lefkow Continue reading...
bbc.com
Bedding firm backs down on 'Swift Home' trademark after Taylor Swift appeal
Swift’s team had flagged similarities between her trademark and the company’s contested design.
theguardian.com
Brushing fraud: Britons told to beware of mystery parcels as new scam soars
Fraudsters use stolen personal details to send out products, then post a fake verified and positive online reviewA package arrives but you can’t remember ordering anything.When you open it, you find some cheap, flimsy jewellery. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Could Manchester be a model for the UK to kickstart growth?
With an annual growth rate of 3.1%, Manchester's economy has performed twice as well as that of the UK as a whole.
theguardian.com
Record 1,000 UK taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year
HMRC figures show 11% rise in young million-pound earners, with influencers and tech pay cited as keyTheir generation is often derided for being work-shy, self-centred and overly sensitive. But when it comes to making money, people under 30 are proving they are something else entirely: successful.A record 1,000 taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year, an 11% increase on the year before, HMRC records show. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why you should consider switching bank accounts
Martin Lewis explains why now might be a good time to think about changing your bank account.
bbc.com
The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.
bbc.com
Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.
bbc.com
Thousands queue as beauty store arrives on island of Ireland
Almost 2,000 people joined the queue for the opening of a new store in Belfast this morning.
bbc.com
Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.
bbc.co.uk
The Bottom Line
Why do private landlords attract so much criticism – and how fair is it?
bbc.com
The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.
bbc.com
How £50m 'fish disco' could save farmland
Innovative tech scares fish away from nuclear cooling pipes.
bbc.com
Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.
bbc.com
Plane makers chase Asia's super-rich with luxe new private jets
Parts of the aviation industry are shifting towards wealthy customers and selling a more luxurious type of international travel.
bbc.com
Kids can be the harshest critics…
The candidates test their story on a group of kids.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
bbc.com
Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
bbc.com
Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
bbc.com
The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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